Cover crops

Annual Mediterranean legume — strong fit for IT and EL. Multiple cuts possible, fixes 100–200 kg N/ha, integrates with spring-planted hemp or miscanthus.

Summer-quick non-legume; flowers in 30 days, biomass in 60. Mobilises soil phosphorus and competes with weeds — fits the gap between an early-harvested cereal and an autumn cover.

Short-season brassica cover with oilseed harvest potential. Low input, tolerates marginal land — fits LV/RO rotations before spring construction-crop planting.

Annual legume cover, autumn-sown in temperate Europe. Fixes 60–150 kg N/ha and adds 3–5 t dry biomass/ha before a spring miscanthus or hemp planting.

Brassica with deep taproot — bio-drilling for compacted soils, frost-killed in northern winters. Good fit before spring-planted miscanthus on heavier land.

Winter-hardy legume cover, often paired with rye. Fixes 80–200 kg N/ha, biomass typically 4–7 t/ha before spring termination.

Annual / short-lived grass cover. Dense root mat holds residual N, easy to terminate. Common after early-harvested cereals where a longer cover is wanted.

Non-legume, non-brassica break crop. Fast cover, top pollinator value, releases nutrients quickly into the spring slot — a clean reset between rotations.

Short-lived perennial legume; persists 2–3 years undersown in cereals, fixes 150–250 kg N/ha cumulatively. Strong companion in NL/LV crop rotations preceding a perennial construction crop.

Low-input legume cover for sandy / poor soils. Common in PT/IT/EL rotations; fixes 80–150 kg N/ha and tolerates dry summers.

Warm-season tropical legume — grows fast in Mediterranean summers (IT, EL). Fixes 100–200 kg N/ha and produces 5–9 t dry biomass per cycle.

Large-rooted radish bred for bio-tillage on compacted arable soil. Frost-kills in northern Europe; the decaying taproot opens drainage channels before a spring miscanthus crop.

Deep-taprooting legume, tolerates acidic and low-fertility soils. Fixes 100–200 kg N/ha and unlocks soil-bound phosphorus.

Quick brassica cover, suppresses soil-borne pests and lifts 60–100 kg residual N. Frost-killed in most NL/RO winters — leaves a low-residue spring seedbed.

Hardiest small-grain cover, germinates below 5°C. Holds 30–60 kg residual N, suppresses winter weeds, leaves a high-C/N residue for a spring construction-crop planting.